Taking a Multiple-Vitamin may increase lifespan above and beyond the benefits of good foods

A telomere is a region of repetitive DNA at the end of chromosomes, which protects the end of the chromosome from destruction by acting as a protective and disposable sequence of caps. The longer the chromosome lasts the longer it is around to reproduce your cells, the longer you remain healthy and alive. The longer the length of your telomeres the longer your chromosomes survive.

In this new study researchers from the National Institutes of Health and from the University of Utah examined the benefits of a Multiple-Vitamin, Mineral supplement to telomere length and therefore to lifespan. This is because a multiple is both an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory agent for chronic cellular inflammation.

The researchers examined an analysis of data from 586 early participants in the Sister Study with an age range of 35 to 74. Multivitamin use was connected to telomeres averaging 5.1% longer than nonusers. Both Vitamin C and Vitamin E from food were independently associated with longer telomeres on top of the benefit from the use of a Multiple-vitamin supplement. They also gave some benefit to non-supplement users. The study is published in the June 2009 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.